Cosmo by Studio Kai Linke

«No one before built a lamp out of this material. COSMO lamps are all handmade by a workshop for handicapped people in Germany. That makes me and the workshop quite happy, to be able to produce such an innovative product.»

At the beginning, I started with the material itself – mirror foil – and I tried to design a light globe out of it without any internal framework. During the design process, I started to operate with facets to create a light globe. With the time, the material and technic came closer together and the design changed into the present shapes.

The contrast between transparency/opacity in the lightness and the reflections are the singularities of this object. The contrast between transparency and opacity becomes visible after switching on the light. Switched off the lamp is an opaque silver object, reflecting the surroundings on the irregular outer surface – switched on it transforms into a transparent, crystalline form, in which the lamp is exposed like in a mirror cabinet. Numerous light reflections become visible.

Furthermore, COSMO has the appearance of an elegant chandelier and at the same time the lightness of a lamp.

The foil material appears sketchy, its faceted form though reminds you of a sparkling and smoothed jewel. Thus the traditional impression of a lampshade merges with the aesthetics of polygons, that we know from 3D programs. Due to its surprising lightness, it can be used wherever. It perfectly integrates itself into different surroundings and also well into a contemporary living context.

No one before built a lamp out of this material. COSMO lamps are all handmade by a workshop for handicapped people in Germany. That makes me and the workshop quite happy, to be able to produce such an innovative product.

The lamp was designed 2010 without any view on current trends.

The lamps are still part of innovation material exhibited worldwide, underlining their game between transparency and opacity, silver and bronze colours, the mirror reflections and effects catch up current trends.